Prayagraj (UP), March 21 (IANS) The Allahabad High Court has sought information from the Uttar Pradesh government about the monetary and other losses caused to the state by the power sector employees’ strike.
Taking a serious note of the strike, a bench of Acting Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker and Justice S.D. Singh also asked the additional advocate general of the state, about action taken against the employees who went on the strike that ended on Sunday.
Besides, it asked why they have not been arrested.
The court said that it does not matter that the strike has been called off, the matter is still very serious.
“One cannot be free to play with the lives of people. The demand of employees cannot be at the cost of life of people,” it said.
The court was hearing an application moved in connection with the Public Interest Litigation by one Vibhu Rai, an advocate, after power employees went on strike last week.
The high court reserved its order on a public interest litigation dealing with the issue of power employees’ strike.
Earlier, on March 17, the court had initiated contempt proceedings against power employees’ union leaders and issued bailable warrant against them for going on strike despite a previous order of this court for not disrupting the power supply.
Initially, it had asked the counsel for employees’ unions as to what loss had been caused and in which field, according to their own assessment.
At this, the counsel for the employees’ leaders said that it cannot be assessed.
Meanwhile, in a related development, Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd (UPPCL) chairman M. Devraj has asked officials to ensure that local faults that could be caused due to the current continuing spell of unseasonal rain and hailstorms, are rectified promptly to avoid inconvenience to people.
He told them to remain vigilant keeping a regular watch on the power supply in the state in view of adverse weather.
All efforts should be made to provide electricity to consumers as per the schedule, he added.
–IANS
amita/shb/
